Sanitary napkin supporting panty



Sept. 21, 1965 KAZUKO YOSHITAKE ETAL 3,207,158

SANITARY NAPKIN SUPPORTING PANTY Filed May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,J'RW- WM 53% 2 W a "o INVENTORS KAZUKO YOSHITAKE .4 RYUSUKE TAKAoKA Sept. 21, 1965 KAZUKO YOSHITAKE ETAL 3,207,153

SANITARY NAPKIN SUPPORTING PANTY Filed May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS KAZUKO YOSHITAKE RYUSUKE TAKAOKA 4 TTIRMEYS United States Patent 3,207,158 SANITARY NAPKIN SUPPORTING PANTY Kazuko Yoshitake, 1467 2-chome, Takada-Honmachi, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan, and Ryusuke Takaoka, 563 4-chorne, Futaba-cho, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed May 15, 1962, Ser. No. 194,775 Claims priority, application Japan, Aug. 17, 1961, 36/ 29,973 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-291) Our invention generally relates to female undergarments and is particularly directed to a panty-like structure suitable for supporting a sanitary napkin.

Considered from another aspect, our invention provides for a sanitary belt or girdle construction for securely lodging sanitary napkins.

Numerous garment and belt structures are on the market for securing sanitary napkins. These known structures have many drawbacks, as they generally are uncomfortable to wear, tend to ride up relative to the body and do not position the sanitary napkin against the body in a reliable and comfortable manner. Further sanitary panty structures have customarily the disadvantage that they do not permit sufficient aeration or ventilation and do not absorb body perspiration to a satisfactory degree. Prior art sanitary garment structures, furthermore, are not sufiiciently flexible and the edge portions of the structures tend to press against and cut into the skin of the wearer, thereby causing abrasions and discomfort.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of our invention to provide for a panty-like garment which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art constructions.

It is also an object of our invention to provide for a sanitary belt construction which is capable of reliably and comfortably retaining a sanitary napkin and which can be attached and worn by the wearer without causing discomfort.

A further object of our invention is to provide for a sanitary belt construction which is flexible and durable and can be readily washed or cleaned.

Another object of our invention is to provide for an undergarment construction which may be used both as a panty and also as a sanitary belt.

Still a further object of our invention is to provide an undergarment construction which permits for aeration so as to reduce body perspiration.

Generally, it is an object of our invention to improve on the art of undergarments and sanitary belt constructions as presently practiced.

Briefly, and in accordance with our invention, we provide an undergarment construction which consists of a net-like textile fabric cut so as to include a front and a rear panel interconnected by a narrowercrotch portion. The net has a certain give so that both the front and the rear panels are laterally stretchable. The panels are, respectively, fitted with a cord or rubber band, and the bands are tied around the waist of the wearer to position the panty structure. The crotch portion is integral with the front and rear panels and is formed by folding the marginal meshes of the netting in the region of the crotch. The folded meshes are connected to each other inwardly. The meshes between the marginal threads are preferably cut-away in the transition zones between crotch and front and rear panels, respectively, so as to eliminate pull which otherwise would be exerted on the crotch meshes when the panels are stretched during positioning. In this manner, a pocket or bag-like crotch is formed which may be lined with absorbent material. A sanitary napkin is placed on the crotch portion and when the garment structure is positioned on the wearer by tying the strings or rubber bands, the sanitary napkin is thus securely held in the trough or cradle-like space defined 3,207,158 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 by the crotch portion. The crotch portion thus acts in the manner of a hammock, and any displacement of the sanitary napkin is prevented once the napkin is applied against the body of the wearer. It will be noted that the sanitary napkin is solely held within the space defined by the crotch portion by the netting which during use of the structure tends to form upstanding retaining walls like in a hammock. No additional securing means such as snaps, hooks, pins or the like, are required.

The various features of novelty which characterize our invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of our invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of our inventive garment structure;

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 in extended or stretched position;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment structure of FIG. 1 during use;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the garment structure during use;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatical plan view of a garment structure in the process of being positioned on a wearer;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 with the panels in extended position and with a sanitary napkin placed in the crotch portion of the garment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the garment with fitted sanitary napkin during use; and

FIG. 8 is a side section corresponding to FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular FIGS. 1 through 4, the inventive garment structure generally indicated by reference numeral 10 is made from a netting or net-like fabric having a plurality of meshes. The garment comprises a front panel 1, a rear panel 1' and a crotch portion 20 interconnecting the front and rear portions 1, 1. Strings 2 are respectively passed through the extreme or marginal opposing meshes of the front and rear portions 1, 1'. The strings or rubber bands 2, in positioning the garment on the body of the wearer, are tied as by knots 8 as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Of course, if desired, an elastic band or ribbon may be permanently secured within or to the outside meshes.

The front and rear panels 1, 1' comprise a sufficient number of mesh courses, if viewed in the longitudinal direction, so as to permit expansion of stretching of the panels upon positioning of the garment so that a substantial area of the abdominal and rear portions of the wearer will be covered. As seen in FIG. 2, the panels 1, 1' upon positioning assume a generally triangular configuration which tapers towards the crotch 20.

It will be noted that the crotch portion 20 is considerably narrower than the front and rear panels 1 and 1'. This is accomplished by folding the marginal meshes of the netting in the region of the crotch 20 towards each other while cutting away the meshes at the transition zones between the crotch portion and the front and rear panels, as indicated by reference numeral 15. The marginal folded meshes of the crotch are connected as indicated by reference numeral a, and in this manner the crotch, upon stretching or lateral expansion of the front and rear panels 1, 1, assumes a shape somewhat in the manner of a hammock or cradle with upstanding walls.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, reference numeral 4 refers to an absorbent lining which is placed within the bag or pocket-like crotch space at the bottom thereof. A sanitary napkin is placed on top of the crotch. When the garment is positioned on the wearer, the sanitary napkin 5 is thus securely held within the hammock space as seen in FIG. 8. The provision of the absorbent lining 4 assures absorption of body perspiration.

As the entire structure is in the nature of a net, the wearer will not unduly perspire. Further, due to the flexibility and stretchability of the netting, no discomfort is felt by the wearer while the sanitary napkin is securely lodged between the body and the netting. The particular shape which is assumed by the crotch portion 20 after positioning of the garment against the body, of course, prevents any dislodgement of the napkin.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that our invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An undergarment structure comprising a length of open mesh expansible netting, said netting forming a front panel, a rear panel and a crotch portion inter-connecting said front and rear panels, said crotch portion being narrower than said front and rear panels, the longitudinal margins of said netting in the region of said crotch portion being folded over towards said netting and being connected to each other to form a pocket to receive an absorbent pad, and securing means located in opposing end edges of said front and rear panels to secure said front and rear panels about the body of a wearer, selected meshes between the longitudinal margins in the transition zones between front panel and crotch portion and rear panel and crotch panel, respectively, being cut to prevent stresses, due to expansion of said front and rear panels, from being transmitted to said crotch portion and means binding the cut meshes to prevent unraveling of the undergarment.

2. A sanitary napkin supporting structure, comprising a length of open mesh expansible flexible netting, said netting being shaped to define a front panel, a rear panel and a crotch interconnecting said front and rear panels, tie means on said front and rear panels for tying said panels together on the body of a wearer, said crotch portion being narrower than said front and rear panels, the long margins of said netting in the region of said crotch portion being folded over towards and connected to each other to form a pocket to receive an absorbent pad, whereby upon positioning said front and rear panels in stretched condition on a person said crotch portion defines a hammocklike space capable of receiving and retaining a sanitary napkin, meshes of said netting in the transition zones between crotch portion and said panels and between the longitudinal margins being cut away to prevent stresses, due to expansion of said front and rear panels, from being transmitted to said crotch portion, and means binding the cut meshes to prevent unraveling of the undergarment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,134,925 11/38 Nichols et al 128-288 2,272,830 2/42 Brody et 'al. 128-289 X 2,706,389 4/55 Garrou et a1. 128-288 X 2,748,772 6/56 Titone et a1. 128-288 2,807,263 9/57 Newton 128-288 2,808,831 10/57 Winslett 128-284 2,829,647 4/58 Dexter 128-284 2,834,348 5/58 Tucci 128-288 2,894,511 7/59 Devaud 128-290 2,977,957 4/61 Clyne 128-289 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A UNDERGARMENT STRUCTURE COMPRISING A LENGTH OF OPEN MESH EXPANSIBLE NETTING, SAID NETTING FORMING A FRONT PANEL, A REAR PANEL AND A CROTCH PORTION INTER-CONNECTING SAID FRONT AND REAR PANELS, SAID CROTCH PORTION BEING NARROWER THAN SAID FRONT AND REAR PANELS, THE LONGITUDINAL MARGINS OF SAID NETTING IN THE RETION OF SAID CROTCH PORTION BEING FOLDED OVER TOWARDS SAID NETTING AND BEING CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER TO FORM A POCKET TO RECEIVE AN ABSORBENT PAD, AND SECURING MEANS LOCATED IN OPPOSING END EDGES OF SAID FRONT AND REAR PANELS TO SECURE SAID 